A computer model predicts who will become homeless in L.A. Then these workers step in

Los Angeles is using predictive algorithms to identify people who might be at risk of evictions and homelessness. Imagine having a tool that let’s us help someone before they get to the point of eviction or homelessness!

“It pulls data from eight county agencies to pinpoint whom to assist, looking at a broad range of data in county systems: Who has landed in the emergency room. Who has been booked in jail. Who has suffered a psychiatric crisis that led to hospitalization. Who has gotten cash aid or food benefits — and who has listed a county office as their “home address” for such programs, an indicator that often means they were homeless at the time.”

“Rountree and her team discovered, when it began running such models to identify who was at highest risk, that “they were not the people enrolling in typical homeless prevention programs.” As of 2020, the UCLA team found that few of the people identified by its predictive modeling — under two dozen in two years — were getting services specifically meant to prevent homelessness under Measure H, an L.A. County sales tax approved by voters.”

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-06-12/homeless-prevention-unit